Creating livable communities in North Dakota

Approximately 45 million Americans (or 13.7%) are age 65 or older. In North Dakota, nearly 17% of residents are 65 or older. By 2034, the United States will — for the first time — be a country comprised of more older adults than children.

AARP Livable Communities supports the efforts of North Dakota’s neighborhoods, towns, cities, and rural areas to be great places for people of all ages. Communities should provide safe, walkable streets; age-friendly housing and transportation options; access to needed services; and opportunities for residents of all ages to participate in community life. Read on to learn more.

Missing Middle Housing
We hear regularly from older adults who want to age at home in their communities. That means it’s important to incorporate affordable, walkable, small- to mid-sized housing into our cities and towns.

The 2022 Housing Assessment report from the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency noted, "…the state's focus needs to shift from building as fast as possible to addressing the age of its housing stock, limited housing options and affordability barriers."

In 2024, AARP ND facilitated a Missing Middle Housing (MMH) Design Competition in Fargo and a Missing Middle Walking Tour in West Fargo to address what MMH is, where it went, and why we need this option for people of all ages.

New Housing on the Block: Missing Middle Housing Design Competition
Like many cities, Fargo faces a growing population of aging adults burdened by their current homes, with few options for more suitable housing. Many of Fargo’s older adults live in homes that are too large, too demanding to maintain, or simply unsafe for aging.

In response, AARP North Dakota and RL Mace Universal Design Institute worked closely with area design professionals, the NDSU Department of Architecture, and the City of Fargo to launch the state’s first missing middle housing (MMH) design competition, New Housing on the Block, to create affordable, aging-friendly and attainable housing in Fargo. The competition also is supported by the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

The competition was open to students and professionals in architecture, design and construction, as well as builders and developers, contestants will design a duplex, triplex, or cluster community.

Learn more about the competition and see the winning designs here.

Missing Middle Housing Walking Tour
AARP worked with the City of West Fargo and Opticos Design Inc. to help leaders in the community learn more about "Missing Middle Housing" during a 1.5-mile walking tour that explored how to expand the housing options for older adults who want to age in their homes, and for all residents.

Community Challenge Grants
In 2024, AARP ND made the largest investment of grant dollars to date through the Community Challenge grant program giving $69,000 as part of $3.8 million awarded nationwide. Grantees implement quick-action projects that help communities become more livable by improving public places; transportation; housing; digital connections; diversity, equity and inclusion; and more. Learn more.

Bismarck Block Party
In July, AARP ND co-hosted a Block Party at North Central Park with Bismarck Burleigh Public Health and 880 Cities, a non-profit with a mission to ignite action and challenge the status quo to create healthier, more equitable, and sustainable cities for all people, by transforming a park into a place for play and neighborly connection. Check out the video here.

A downloadable toolkit will be available in December 2024